As this year comes to a long-needed close, the time has come yet again to compile a list of our top songs for 2018. This task has always been a delicate one; as we aim to choose songs that were chart-toppers while also leaving room for works that have contributed in a positive way to the creativity and diversity of the market. On top of this, I’ve also tried to choose songs that are cohesive and represent a general theme; reflecting on the year that has been. This year, I’ve chosen the theme of mindfulness and reflection. Be it a discussion of the world around us, our inner selves or the passing of time and life. In this year of confusion, despair and misdirection, we are all searching for something real to hold on to. This theme has increasingly resonates with me this year more than ever before, and I hope it strikes a chord with you too.

​NO. 10: KELLY YU 于文文– DIGNITY體面

What top 10 list could be complete without this regional chart-topper? The song which was part of the soundtrack for the movie ‘The Ex File 3: Return of the Exes’ allowed Canadian-Chinese artist Kelly Yu skyrocket to fame since its release in February this year with its moody and atmospheric piano arrangement. Although ballads are often hit-or-miss, Yu’s steady, honest vocals tug on the ol’ heartstrings just so, giving listeners delectable texture to ruminate over time and again. ​

Raspy songstress Eve Ai returns with her all-new album ‘垂直活著，水平留戀著’ on the 21st of December.The album promises ten original songs, all written by Eve herself and produced by critically acclaimed producer George Chen.

Accompanying the news of her upcoming December release is the first single and theme song for her album ‘Forever Young’, which has been praised by fellow songwriters HUSH and Lala Hsu for its beautiful etchings of the human experience.

Full of gentleness and atmospheric piano and strings, it is a song that promises to warm and move your hearts.

Eve Ai’s new album “垂直活著，水平留戀著” releases on the 21st of December 2018.

​It’s that time of the year again! The most prestigious music awards in the Chinese speaking world, the Golden Melody Awards, will be held at Taipei Arena on June 23, and promise to be the most spectacular to date! This, year, the ceremony will be hosted by superstar Jam Hsiao.

Since their initial broadcast in 1990, the GMA’s have strived to recognize industry leaders and innovators from Taiwan and beyond, and have been credited with being the catalysts which rocketed artists such as Mayday and Jay Chou to stardom. Last year, indie band No Party for Cao Dong 草凍咩有排隊 stormed the awards, becoming the first band ever to win the Best New Artist and Best Group awards

Leading the nominees this year are JJ Lin林俊傑 and A-Mei張惠妹, with an astounding six nominations each, for their 2017 albums Message in a Bottle and Story Thief respectively. Also seeing multiple nominations this year are Crowd Lu盧廣仲(4), Lala Hsu (4) and rock outfit Fire E.X 滅火器 (2).

​​Being rewarded for her near 30 year career is Julie Su蘇瑞芬, who at her peak in the 1980s was considered as equally popular as legendary songstress Teresa Teng. Legendary bassist Joy Kuo郭宗韶 will receive a posthumous award for his near 40 year career and services to pop music development in Taiwan.The event will also be broadcast live on youtube on the GMA Official Youtube Channel, so wherever you are in the world, make sure to tune in!See below for a full list of nominees.Let us know who you think should win!

Indie darling- turned- songstress Lala Hsu has announced the upcoming release of her long-awaited new album 'Psychology心理学' after a three-year wait.

The album will begin pre-order on the 5th of December, and will be released officially on the 27th of December.

Working with known producers and musicians such as George Chen, Chen Jun Hao and Starr Chen, the new album is said to be a deep awakening of Lala's most innermost thoughts.

This is well expressed through the first single 'The Prayer言不由衷', a collaboration between Lala and this years' Best Female Mandarin Artist Eve Ai, who is known for her personal and deep melodies and beautiful writing style.

As one of the earliest songs selected and recorded for this album, 'The Prayer' was also one of the hardest to record. When Lala first heard the demo for this song, the lightly sentimental melody and simple yet elegant lyrics truly moved her.

​At that time, she was going through a period of loss and directionless, yet 'The Prayer' moved her sensitive heart. At that moment, all her unanswerable questions seem to have calmed, and allowed her to be surrounded by warmth, becoming a song that Hsu would turn to in her darkest of times.

Since this song meant so much to her, being able to bring to life this song in the best way possible became one of Lala's biggest issues, and she was time and again unable to go into the studio to record, because she was worried that she would not be able to breathe life into this song in the right way.

It was oNly until recording for the album had reached its midpoint that Lala finally went into the recording studio to record this song, hoping that her voice could give everyone all that she was trying to express. Of the experience, she says: "This is a song I listened to over and over as a way of speaking to myself, just like I've entered experiment after experiment and then finally coming up with a true experience. I hope this song that can heal me can also heal everyone else."

To Hsu, the song is not only a prayer of greeting for those who you love, but also as a way of praying for yourself, and loving yourself. Using nuanced and subtle changes in the gentle arrangement, 'The Prayer' has created the most beautiful setting for Lala's album.

'The Prayer' by Lala is out now on YouTube and all the usual places. Her new album 'Psychology' will be released on the 27th of December.

Hot off the press without further ado, here's your basic survival guide for who was nominated at all the award categories at the 27th Golden Melody Awards!

Vocal AwardsAlbum of the Year-Village Besieged /Foothills Folk LLC-The Servile/Rocksurf-All Nominated Titles of Best Album in Mandarin-All Nominated Titles of Best Album in Taiwanese-All Nominated Titles of Best Album in Hakka-All Nominated Titles of Best Album in an Aboriginal Language

Song of the Year-Love Confession《Jay Chou’s Bedtime Stories》/ JVR Music International Ltd.-Traces of Time In Love 《Traces of Time In Love 》/EMI Records And Entertainment Limited-Peng-Kung《Ding Zi Hua》/Universal Music Taiwan Ltd.-The Sum of Us 《Talk About Eve》/Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan Ltd.-Tough《history of Tomorrow》/ B'IN MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED-Simon Says《The Servile》/Rocksurf-Centrifugal Force《 CENTERIFUGAL FORCE》/Asia Muse Entertainment-Spoiled Innocence《Sell like hot cakes》/HIM International Music

Best Mandarin Album《JOURNEY TO THE WEST》/ Fu Music Limited《The Silent Star Stone》/Universal Music Taiwan Ltd.《Talk About Eve》/Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan Ltd.《history of Tomorrow》/ B'IN MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED《run! frantic flowers!》/Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan Ltd.《Million Songs Hill》/Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan Ltd.

Best Lyricist-Qing Feng Wu/Traces of Time In Love《Traces of Time In Love 》/EMI Records And Entertainment Limited-Wu Pai/Peng-Kung《Ding Zi Hua》/Universal Music Taiwan Ltd-Guo Ding/The Fog Space《The Silent Star Stone》/Universal Music Taiwan Ltd.-Eve Ai/The Sum of Us 《Talk About Eve》/Sony Music Entertainment Taiwan Ltd.-Mayday A-Shin/ Almost Famous 《history of Tomorrow》/ B'IN MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED-No Party For Cao Dong/Wimpish《The Servile》/Rocksurf-Hsieh Ming-Yu/ Pi-ka Luggage《chiu nien》 /KAWA Music Co.Ltd

Best Single Producer-George Chen/Traces of Time In Love 《Traces of Time In Love 》/EMI Records And Entertainment Limited-Huang ching shih yi /Jia Jia song feat. Ilid Kaolo /Suming《Still Missing》/B'IN MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED-Mayday Masa/ Still Missing《Still Missing》/B'IN MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED-Huang Chien-wei ; Chen Chun-hao / Centrifugal Force《 CENTERIFUGAL FORCE》/Asia Muse Entertainment-Dakanow/ Aka Pacici Take It Easy《Long-Ger Longer Story Album》/Good Collection Studio-Sandee Chan/Every day is a miracle《Day by day》/ HIM International Music-Howe/You Made My Day 《You Made My Day 》/ Asia Muse Entertainment

Best Musical Group-FLUX /《FLUX Pluralism》/Hove Entertainment-Mayday/《History of Tomorrow》/ B'IN MUSIC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED-No Party For Cao Dong/《The Servile》/Rocksurf-GDJYB/《vol.2 GDJYB 2359 BEFORE TOMORROW》/ HER-LION/《LION》/ Warner Music Taiwan-Gina"s Can / 《The Funky Song For Tung Blossom》/ Feeling Good Music Co.-The Chairman /《The boyhood of chairman》/ D.G.S.Marketing